Limerick's twin cooling towers
SANATOGA PA – The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has let Lower Pottsgrove‘s political leadership know, officially, that its representatives are in town for the next 22 months.
They’ve begun to conduct the necessary inspections, paperwork and meetings that will be part of the application by Exelon Nuclear to re-license its Units 1 and 2 reactors in the Limerick Generating Station (LGS), just east of the township border at the intersection of Evergreen and Sanatoga roads, Limerick PA, for another 20 years.
NRC Senior Project Manager Lisa Regner, who deals with environmental issues and said she just completed a re-licensing assignment in California; and Senior Project Manager Rob Kuntz, who handles safety issues, introduced themselves Thursday night (July 7, 2011) to the Board of Commissioners. They invited board members to contact them at any time with questions or comments regarding the re-licensing procedure.
“Our purpose tonight is just to make you aware of the process,” Regner said, and noted that at least two public meetings about re-licensing are anticipated for August or September.
She clarified, however, that the meetings would not be “hearings” at which the process or Exelon’s specific re-licensing requests could be challenged. Those would be held separately, Regner said, and were formal proceedings for which objections must be filed at least 60 days in advance and usually are presented by attorneys.
Neither the meeting or hearing dates have yet been announced.
“It’s our job to ensure Limerick’s safe operations” for the 20-year renewal period beyond October 2024, for Unit 1, and June 2029, for Unit 2, Kuntz explained.
Is it standard, Commissioner James Kaiser asked, to consider renewal applications so far in advance – in Limerick’s case, 13 years and 18 years, respectively – of the units’ license expiration?
Yes, Regner replied; in fact, power plant operators are allowed by the NRC to apply for re-licensing up to 20 years before expiration dates. That’s due in part, she said, to the number of plants that must be reviewed, the limited NRC staff available for reviews, and the amount of time reviews require.
Solicitor R. Kurtz Holloway wondered how much study NRC teams would give to on-site storage of spent nuclear fuel rods.
Not much in Limerick’s specific case, Kuntz indicated, because the NRC has opted to deal with fuel rod storage as a “generic” topic that applies to all generating facilities. However, he added, specific issues or problems with fuel rod storage at Limerick should be brought to inspectors’ attention.
NRC inspection teams are expected to arrive from Rockville MD within coming weeks to begin their assessments, Regner said.
Related (to federal re-licensing of Limerick Generating Station):
- Police Detail At Limerick Hearings Cost $1,468
- Local Voices Endorse, Worry Over Nuclear Relicensing
- NRC Holds Public Meetings Thursday At Sunnybrook
- NRC Holds Public Meetings Sept. 22 At Sunnybrook
- NRC Legal Notice: Meetings Ahead At Sunnybrook
- NRC Staffers Stop By, Say ‘Hi’ To Commissioners
- Exelon Nuclear Renewals Win Two Early Endorsements
- Exelon Officially Asks To Extend LGS Operating Licenses
- Meeting Wednesday To Review Limerick Nuclear Safety
- LGS License Renewals Topic At May Chamber Breakfast
Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ July 7 meeting):
- NRC Staffers Stop By, Say ‘Hi’ To Commissioners
- Italian Restaurant Construction Could Start Within Weeks
- At Township DUI Check, They Got What They Paid For
- Police Radio Discussion Possible In Township’s Meeting
Think back 20 years ago and what kind of computers we we’re using then. Now think about the numerous sensors, activators, switches and what not required to operate a plant.
I for one want to see a plan to maintain up-to-date technology for the controls in the plant. Maintenance and upgrades of all electrical and electronic systems to assure us that this facility remains in safe operation as it has been for the past license period.
Another consideration is the efficiency of the plant and what is being done to squeeze out all of the energy we can from the facility. Steam turbine technology for generation; what can be done with all that heat being generated? Wasting it to the atmosphere seems wasteful in these times of austerity and conservation.